


Struggle, Stumble, Tumble

by HogwartsToAlexandria



Series: The Face of Salvation, and Other Sobriety Shorts [2]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alcoholic Stephen Strange, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Depression, Hopeful Ending, Hurt Stephen Strange, M/M, Married Couple, Protective Tony Stark, post-accident
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:01:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23171383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HogwartsToAlexandria/pseuds/HogwartsToAlexandria
Summary: Stephen Strange has grown more and more familiar with the blurriness of his gaze as he drinks his sorrows away, and a medical gala brings forth everything that is wrong in his life now.Tony does his best, his hardest to help him, but there's only one way Stephen will heal, it's if he decides to save himself.Tony Stark Bingo 2020 Fill, T1: Tony/Stephen - (card number 3026)Ironstrange Bingo 2020 Fill, O5: Hurt/Comfort
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: The Face of Salvation, and Other Sobriety Shorts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1664494
Comments: 3
Kudos: 53
Collections: IronStrange Bingo 2020, Tony Stark Bingo 2020





	Struggle, Stumble, Tumble

**Author's Note:**

> Heya, another sobriety short, and a fill for my TSB (3026) "Tony/Stephen" and Ironstrange "Hurt/Comfort" bingo squares. 
> 
> Hope you'll like it 💚🦋

Tony's eyes are full of tears as he pushes Stephen into the shower. They're both dressed, both wearing suits for entirely different reasons. Tony's just come home from one more charity gala where he actually had some fun for once - there were kids, people are nicer when there's kids. Stephen? 

Stephen had a gala, too. A medical research fundraiser. With most of his old world gathered in satin gowns and Hugo Boss flashy suits. 

The water runs over them, hard, fast, cold as fuck. Tony cries in it, doesn't feel the tears even as his sobs tear through his throat. 

"Wake up, asshole, wake up!" Tony slaps Stephen. The noise rings in his ears, mixes with his relieved, enraged gasp as Stephen starts blinking back the water that falls in his eyes. "That's right, you little fuck, that's right, you wake up now." 

Tony's grip on Stephen is tight, an arm wound around the man's waist while the other brushes his hair out of his face, slicks it back, traces his slightly tinged cheek. The man's lips are so pale. He looks like a ghost. 

"You look like a ghost." 

"Why...thank you…" Stephen whispers, slurred, and weak. 

"Shush," Tony sobs again, tightening his grip even further as he leans forward to push his head against Stephen's neck, their height difference allowing for Stephen's chin to rest clumsily on the top of Tony's head. "Don't talk, just stay awake for me."

Getting out of wet suits is a plague. Getting Stephen dry enough and warm enough to leave the bathroom, a nightmare with how folded on himself he is as soon as Tony drags him out of the shower. Getting him into bed is easier. 

"Gimme your hands." Tony taps the comforter by Stephen's hip. 

They're trembling a lot more than they should, a lot more than they usually do. Even when Stephen's been drinking, though it never helps. 

"Fucking dummy." 

"DUM-E would spray you," Stephen rasps. He closes his shaky fingers around Tony's wrist. "I'm sorry…"

"I said shush," 

"And I said I'm sorry." Stephen searched for Tony's gaze, and Tony only looked up when the man forced himself to squeeze his wrist.

"Don't. Apologize. Or squeeze." He grits out. "I'll get the pads." 

Stephen releases Tony's wrist then, letting his hands gingerly fall back above the comforter, and when Tony comes back, electric heating pads in hand, it's to the sight of his husband crying silently. 

"Stephen…" Tony chokes up, "Baby, come on," he puts a pad on each of the man’s hands, pressing just slightly so it covers them both completely before he takes Stephen's face between his hands and forces him to look at him. 

His blue-gray eyes are diluted in sadness, and Tony wants to shake every living surgeon until they cry, too. 

"I couldn't… couldn't stay, Tony, I couldn't." 

"I know." Tony pressed his face to Stephen's stomach, kissed his belly through the comforter before looking up, "I know, baby, but you can't… you can't keep doing this to yourself, you just can't." 

They look at each other a long time, Stephen keeping his hands under the pads, and letting tears roll out of his eyes. Tony's own eyes feel puffy but no longer leak out tears. 

"Take me tomorrow?" Stephen asks, his voice cutting through the silence and making Tony's heart beat faster. His eyes widen on the spot. 

"Yes. Yes, thank you--"

"You don't have to--" Stephen interrupts, but Tony puts a finger on his lips.

"Thank you, for choosing to take care of yourself."

Stephen sobs then, and nods, and he can't help but pull his hands from below the pads to get Tony to hug him, and Tony follows. He winds his arms around Stephen's shoulders, brings a hand to the back of Stephen’s head, kisses his forehead. 

"We'll be ok, baby, it'll be ok."


End file.
